Sign



06E. 4, 1932. G1LBERT 1,881,371

SIGN

Filed March 2, 1952 INVENTOR DAVlD GILBERT Patented Oct. 4, .1932

UNITED STATES DAVID GILBERT, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF GILBERT, OF- WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY PATENT err-ice SIGN Application filed March 2, 1932. Serial No. 596,175.

This invention relates to signs.

' It has particular relation to a type of sign card-holder by means of which cards indicating prices or the like are supported directly upon, or otherwise in close relation to, goods. The arrangement of the holder and the cards is such that the cards, preferably of the sectional variety, may be rearranged or changed at will, so that, merely by removing certain of the cards and inserting in their places others of different denominations, or by transposing cards. the price or like indications may be varied as desired without necessitating printing new signs on each such occasion.

However, where it was desired, at difi'erent times, to dispose, in such card-holders, signs having characters of different sizes, for use under diiierent circumstances and for different purposes, it has been practically impossible to use asingle sign-holder for all purposes. For each change of card dimension. there necessarily was required a cardholder of corresponding size, resulting not only in inconvenience to the user, but also in marked additional expense by reason of the number of holders required.

It is an object of the invention to provide, as a card-holder for use in positioning price cards, or elements displaying related advertising matter with relation to goods, a device capable of adjustment to'retain cards of any particular height within predetermined limits. In this connection, it is to be noted that, in the fixed size card-holder, whether the card be smaller or larger than the particular dimension for which such holder was designed, the holder was useless. The structure of this invention, however, does not require that cards be accurately turned; in fact, any card falling within the limits set by the extreme sizes capable of being assembled with the holder are usable.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in connection with a card-holder of the character indicated, means whereby the portions making the holder adjustable for retaining cards of djfierent sizes also provides means making the holder self-sustaining, retaining itself as a unit fixedly in relation to goods for which it is designed.

Simply, the invention is etiectuated by shaping a material, capable of being bent and worked easily into a desired form, and for which purposes, wire was found highly desirable, into a shape providing guideways for adjustable card retaining elements. Some,

of the results arising from the invention were attained by bending wire into the shape of a U, the arms of the U, in such case, providing the guideways for the elements. As a simple form of the elements, metallic plates were stamped out. Any suitable member, capable of having formed therein or provided thereon guide openings for the reception of the. arm of the U, may, however, be used for this purpose. Grooves formed or disposed on the outer faces of a pair of these elements are,

when so assembled on the arm of the U,'diselements from the assembled relationship. In one case, the wire forming the U is. bent at an intermediate position, and preferably almost midway. The elements are thus limited to travel along only a portion of the member. The bridge and the arms of the U, so bent, then form an easel for the sign, the ends of the arms extending beyond the crimped portions, together with the bridge of the U, thus forming a positive support for the entire arrangement. tending arms of the U, beyond the erimped portions, were sharpened to provide points to be stabbed into goods, such as meats or the like, thus, in themselves, providing securing means to retain the sign positioned upon an article. In another modification, the retaining means was embodied in a clamp carried by one of the elements. This clamp did not affect the slidable characteristics of the elements with relation to the arms.

In another case, the ex- Other objects of this invention will hereinafter be set forth, or will be apparent from the description and the drawing, in which are illustrated embodiments of apparatus for carrying out the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction or arrangement of parts, or to any particular application of such construction, or to any specific manner of use, or to any of the various details thereof herein shown and described, as the same may be modified in various particulars or be applied in many varied relations without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, the practical embodiments herein illustrated and described merely showing some of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

On the drawing, in which the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout, and in which are disclosed the preferred embodiments:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a sign cardholder, constructed to embody the invention,

shown resting upon a surface and as seen from its rear;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the sign card-holder in Fig. 1 as it appears from the front thereof;

Fig. 3 is a rear view in perspective of a modified form of sign card-holder,

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the structure shown inFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, of a further modified form of sign card-holder; and I Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

In card-bolder 10, shown in Fig. 1, a single piece of wire 12 has been bent to form arms 14 and 16, connected by a bridge 18. The arms are formed to parallel each other. Before the U-shape thus formed has been bent to provide the brace portion 20, or before the dents 22 are made, elements 24 are slipped upon the tracks or guideways provided by arms 14 and 16.

These elements preferably are metal stampings, each having a flat base portion 26, terminating in a turned-back end 28 to form a groove 30. The groove preferably is dimensioned to receive snu 'ly the thickness of a card section 32. T ese sections are backed by base portions 26, and are retained in position by engagement in grooves 30. The sections may each have applied thereto a distinct character 34, so that, upon arranging a few of the sections in the holder, certain information may be derived from them. As can easily be understood, the context of this informative matter may be changed as desired.

Struck rearwardly out of, and released only at their side edges from connection with, base portion 26 are loops or hands 36 which, by their formation, provide passages 38 through which arms 14 and 16 are received. Preferably, pairs of these bands are struck out of the base portion to arrange pairs of aligned passages 38 in each element. When the elements are assembled upon both arms, they are thus retained against rocking movement relatively to the arms. After the elements have been assembled on the arms, dents 22 may be formed in the wire to provide limits for movement of the elements in preventing their unwarranted separation from the holder.

Brace portion 20 may be formed either before or after the elements have been assembled upon their tracks. As seen in Fig. 1, the feet 40, formed by the ends of the wire extending beyond the dents, together with bridge 18, then constitute an easel support for the sign. If the angle of bond of brace portion 20 and the arms is suflicient, the portion may be rested upon a surface, whereupon the arms will depend, supporting the sign merely by the abutment of the two bent portions of the wire with walls of the body so eugaged. The elements are slidable along their tracks, making it possible to assemble in the card-holder, at will, cards with characters of diflerent heights. The device is thus capable of use instantly with cards of any par-v ticular size within the limits set by the length of the arms.

In the modification of Figs. 3 and 4, a sin le piece of wire 42 has been bent into U- hape, forming arms 44, upon which are received elements 46, substantially similar in structure to elements 24. The ends 48 of the wire are given penetrating characteristics, as, for instance, by being sharpened to provide points 50. These points may be stabbed into such materials as meats or the like, to retain the card-holder, of which they form a part, assembled in proper relationship on that material. Dents 52 may be made in arms -14 between the points and the track portions 54 of the arms to which sliding movement of the elements is intended to be limited. These dents, in this case, are effective both. to limitthe depth to which points 50 may penetrate and also to prevent accidental separation of the elements and wire 42.

In card-holder 56 of Fig. 5, wire 58 has likewise been bent into U-shapc. Elements 60, similar to elements 24 and 46, have been assembled upon the arms of the U, the extreme ends 62 of the armshavin stop curls 64 provided thereat. Secured to t e rear wall 66 of one of the elements, preferably by riveting, and preferably between loops 68 so as not to interfere with the sliding movement of that element along the wire, is a member 70. While member 70 may take any desired contour, a shape such as shown, that is, U-.

shape, by which a bridge 72 is provided, is

preferred. This bridge provides a suitable base to abut the plate when member is secured thereto.

Arms 7 4 extending from the bridge preferably are of resilient metal. Their spacing and formation is such that they may comfortably be received upon, and resiliently engage with, such structure as a shelf edge or the like, whereby the entire arrangement will be retained in position without interfering with the adjustable character of the cardholder.

It is to be understood that, although both mud-retaining elements are here shown mounted for sliding movement along the tracks, it is possible. for certain features of the in vcntion, to fix one of them with relation to the tracks, while the other elements retain the characteristics by which adjustment may be effected.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of use set forth, and in specific details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention intended to be delined in the claims, the specific description herein being merely of some operative embodiments carrying out the spirit of the lllVGlltlOIl.

Nhat is claimed as new and useful is 1. An advertising device for adjustably and removably retaining advertising indicating members comprising a single wire formed to provide a pair of spaced-apart guide lines, and a pair of slides carried upon the lines, each of the slides consisting of a flat metal stamping, and means providing passages for reception of the lines in spacedapart, guiding relationship, and for retaining the backs of the stamping in frictional contact with the lines, both ends of each stamping being free, the ends furthest removed being turned toward each other to form member-receiving grooves, the lines and slides cooperating to prevent the grooves in aligned and opposed relationship, both of the slides being movable toward and away from each other along the lines to adjust the spacing for members of different sizes, the wire being formed to provide a self-sustaining support for the device.

2. An advertising device for adjustably and removably retaining advertising-indicating placards consisting of an unitary member formed to" provide a pair of spaced-apart guide lines lying in substantially the same plane, and a pair of placard end edge engaging elements carried upon and slidable along the lines, each of the slides having means for engagement of the lines intermediately thereof and for passage of the lines therethrough in spaced-apart, guiding relationship, a placard end en gaging portion on each of the elements, the elements being movable toward and away from each other along the lines to adjust the spacing for placards of different sizes, and an integral portion of the device providing a stable, self sustaining non-vibrating support for the device 3. An integral removable-card-retaining 7 and self-supporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks; and means in- 7; tegral with one of the elements for making the device stably and non-vibrationally selfsustaining. 1

4. An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a pluso rality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks, the wire being deformed so that a portion thereof forms a a; stable, self-sustaining, non-vibrating support for the device.

5. An integral removablecard-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks, the free ends of the wire being pointed for insertion into material with which the device is to be associated to provide a self-sustaining support for the' device.

6. An integral removable-oard-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plu rality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks, the wire bein deformed to form an easel and provide a sel sustaining support for the device.

7 An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a pinrality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantiall-y parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks; and a su portengaging member secured to one of t e elements for making the device self-sustaining.

8. An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plnrality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a air of flat plates slidably engaging the trac s; and a clamping de-, vice on one of the elements for engaginga shelf to make the device self-sustaining.

9. An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprisin a single wire twisted to provide a plurallty of substantially parallel tracks, and a' pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks; and a clamping device for engaging(a shelf secured to one of the plates for ma ing the device self-sustaining.

10 An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprisin a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a pair of fiat plates slidably engaging the tracks; and a clamping device for engaging a shelf secured to the rear face of one of the plates for making the device self-sustaining, the free ends of the wirebeing formed to prevent re moval of the plates from the tracks.

11. An integral removable-card-retaining and seltsnpporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprising a single Wire twisted to provide a plurality of substan tially parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks; and means integral with one of the elements for making the device self-sustaining, the wire having means integrally formed therein to prevent separation of the plates from the tracks.

12. An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a. pair of flat plates slidably engaging the tracks; and means integral with one of the elements for making the device self-sustaining, the wire being deformed intermediately thereof to limit the movement of the plates along the tracks.

13. An integral removable-card-retaining and self-supporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprising a single wire twisted to provide a plurality of substantially parallel tracks, and a pair of flat plates slidalily engaging thetracks, the free ends of the wire being pointed for insertion into material with which the device is to be associated to provide a self-sustaining support for the device, and the wire being deformed intermediately thereof to limit movement of the plates alon the tracks.

14. A removable-car -retaining and selfsupporting sign consisting of a plurality of elements comprising a plurality of tracks retained substantially parallel to each other, and a pair of card-retaining members slidably engaging and capable of relative adjustment in the line of the tracks and means integral with certain of the elements to provide a self-sustaining support for the device, the tracks having means integrally formed therein to limit movement of the members therealong.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 25th day of Februa v 1932.

' DAVID GI BERT.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,88i,371. October 4, 1932.

DAVID GILBERT.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 45, claim 1, for "prevent" read "present"; and line 68, claim 2, after "self-sustaining" insert a comma; page 4, line 52, claim 14, after "tracks" insert a semi-colon;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of November, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

